AELLA (Latino and Latin-American Students Association)

AELLA is a student organization at CUNY’S Graduate Center whose main mission is to advocate for the interests and defend the rights of its membership. Because of a common colonial history of oppression and resistance, AELLA aims to express and represent the different racial, ethnic, and national elements that compose the rich cultural traditions commonly referred to as Latin@ and Latin American. Accordingly, AELLA will struggle against all forms of discrimination and will promote the solidarity among students and between different student associations at CUNY Graduate Center and other related colleges. At AELLA, our stated goals are: a) To promote and advocate for the rights, unity, and interests of the Latin@ and Latin American students at the Graduate Center and beyond. b) To promote and support research and diffusion of Latin@ and Latin-American issues. c) To help and promote the search of fellowships and funding, and develop research about Latin@ and Latin-American issues. d) To create and support existing Research Centers, Library and Data Bases for Latin@ and Latin-American issues. e) To create a multilingual publication. f) To organize events and cultural activities about Latin@ and Latin-American issues and with other organizations with similar objectives. g) To improve GC’s curriculums and develop proposals to request more courses regarding the Latin American region and Latin@s/Latin Americans experiences. h) To help improve the Latin American, Caribbean and Latin@ Studies program at the Graduate Center as offered by the Master of Arts in Liberal Studies (MALS) program. h) To create a clearing house to provide and share information regarding job placement. i) To develop means for economic assistance to students. j) To organize and promote academic and social activities, events and periodical meetings, among other ways to create a Latinx and Latin American community at the Graduate Center in in the greater area of NYC. Constitution – Article 1. The name of the organization is Asociación de Estudiantes Latinos y Latino Americanos – AELLA. Article 2. Section 1. General Purposes: a. To address, promote and advocate for the rights, unity, and interests of the members of the Association, b. To promote and support research and diffusion of Latino and Latin-American issues. Section 2. Specific Purposes – a. To help and promote the search of fellowships and funding, and develop research about Latino and Latin-American issues; b. To create and support a research Center, library and database for Latino and Latin-American issues; c. To create a multilingual publication; d. To organize courses and cultural activities about Latino and Latin-American issues and with other organizations with similar objectives; e. To create a clearing house to provide and share information regarding job placement; f. To develop means for economic assistance to students; g. To organize and promote social activities, sporting events and periodical meetings. These objectives are not to be limited to the above mentioned. Article 3. MEMBERSHIP There are four categories of members: a. The first category is constituted by registered Latinx and Latin-American students at the CUNY Graduate Center with the right to vote and to receive priority from the benefits of the Association; b. The second category is constituted by students on leave of absence or non-matriculated up to three semesters. c. The third category is constituted by alumni, faculty and other students of the Graduate Center and CUNY system as associated members; d. The fourth category is constituted by associated members under specific circumstances by decision of the Working Committees. Associated members have no right to vote. Article 4. ORGANIZATION OF THE ASSOCIATION – The Association is organized into Working Committees annually elected by democratic procedures. The Working Committees will assume the general responsibilities for the different activities of the Association. General administrative tasks will be coordinated by up to (2) co-chairs, who are elected annually by a simple majority of the Association’s membership. Such tasks include but are not limited to: a. Procurement and administration of all funding available to the Association, including DSC chartered organization allocations and other grants; b. Oversight of all publicity regarding Association-sponsored activities; c. Maintenance of the Association mailing list; d. Facilitating all General Assembly meetings; e. Acting as the official spokesperson(s) for the Association when necessary. Article 5. THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY A General Assembly will meet once a month.